Rubber-tread horseshoe.



No. 676,086. Patented lune ll, 190i. E. F. CULBERTSON.

RUBBER TREAD HORSESHOE.

(Application filed Jan. 26, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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ATTORNEY.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EsTA F. CI'LBFRTSON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

RUBBER-TREAD HORSESHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,086, dated June 11, 1901. Application filed January 26, 1901. Serial No. 44,898. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ESTA F. CULBERTSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinRubber-TreadHorseshoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rubber-tread horseshoes; andthe objects are, first, to provide a soft elastic cushion for the toe,as well as for the heels, of the shoe; second, to provide a shoe thatcan be shaped and fitted to an animals foot with the same ease andcertainty afforded by the horseshoe of common form; third, to provide ashoe in which an easy lateral as well as front and rear movement isinsured, and, fourth, to provide a thoroughly strong and durableconstruction which will hold together under all conditions of serviceand which will be simple in construction and inexpensive.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a Viewof the shoe on the side which comes next to the horses hoof; Fig. 2, aView of the under side of the shoe; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 ofFig. 1, and Fig. t a longitudinal vertical central sectional View of theshoe.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

B is a metal plate of usual horseshoe shape having nailholes I), throughwhich nails are driven in the usual manner to secure the shoe to thehoof. This plate also has the inside flange C and the outside flange D,forming a channel along the under side of the shoe, in which channel isseated the rubber E. One side, E, of this rubber is fiat with squarecorners, while the diametrically opposite side, E thereto is preferablyhalf-round. The flat side is placed inside of the channeled metal shoeand should make a tight fit in said channel. Formed longitudinallythrough said rubber, nearest to its fiat side, are the holes to receivewires F F. The rubbers are made in long straight pieces, which are cutinto strips of required lengths. Wires F F are placed in the holesbefore the rubbers are bent into horseshoe shape. The drawings show twoholes for wires; but more than two or only one may be used, if desired.

In practice it is intended that the rubber material used forvehicle-tires be used for the rubber portions of my invention. Rubbertires for vehicles are now so generally used that enough to renew theshoes of a horse in an emergency can be found at nearly any countryblacksmithshop. The flanges C and D are at right angles to the plate Bto allow the rubber-tire strip to be inserted without hindrance, and thesaid flanges are parallel with each other to receive the rubber-tirematerial, which is of uniform width throughout and is cut oif of thelong tire-strips in lengths to suit the requirements of the shoe withwhich it is to be used.

A shoe with an open center and open between the plates of the heel isobtained by the above construction, which affords free ventilation tothe frog of the foot.

The flanges C and D have perforations through which, after the Wiredrubber has been inserted, pins or rivets g are inserted and retained byriveting the ends to prevent withdrawal. These rivets pass under thewires F-that is, the wires F are between the rivets and the metal shoeB-whereby the withdrawal of the rubber from its channel is prevented. Asthe rubber extends unbrokenly from end to end of the shoe, all parts ofthe latter are equally cushioned and the halfround outer surface allowsthe foot to adapt itself naturally to the surface over which the animalis traveling.

The inside flange O of the shoe opposite the front of the shoe extendsout so as to cover more of the rubber than does the flange on eitherside of the middle. The purpose of this extension C is to additionallysupport the rubber at the toe, where the striking of the horses footoccurs with the greatest frequency and violence. It will probably befound most convenient to cast the metal shoe. The rubber portion may beof some other shape than half-round on the outer sides thereof.

In applying the shoe to a horses foot the metal base is first fitted andnailed on, after Io'o which the rubber part is placed in position in thechannel and secured by means of the rivets.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and wishto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an elastic-tread horseshoe, a metal base with perforationstherethrough whereby it may be nailed to the animals hoof, said basehaving parallel perforated flanges, an elastic pad of same cross-sectionthroughout its length laid against the base between the perforatedflanges, a wire or wires inserted in the elastic pad between the flangesof the metal base, and rivets connecting the flanges at theirperforations and crossing the wires on the outer sides thereof,substantially as described and shown.

2. In an elastic-tread horseshoe a base with a central opening under thefrog of the foot to allow ventilation, said base having holes whereby itmay be nailed to the hoof and having parallel inside and outsideflanges, an elastic pad consisting of a section of rubber vehicle-tireseated on the base between the flanges and secured by rivets reachingfrom one flange to the other and secured to said flanges and passingthrough the elastic pad, and wires passing longitudinally through theelastic pad between the rivets and the base, substantially as describedand shown.

3. In an elastic-tread horseshoe, a metal base having an open center,flanges parallel with each other on the inner and outer edge of thebase, a rubber pad of uniform thickness seated in the groove formed bythe flanges and extending out 111 uch farther than the flanges, rivetspassing through the rubber transversely and through the flanges, wirespassing longitudinally through the rubber between the rivets and thebase, the inner one of the above-mentioned flanges being elongatedopposite the toe of the shoe, as and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis,Indiana, this 18th day of January, A. I). 1901.

ESTA F. CULBERTSON.

